Pakistani social media accounts blocked again in India after brief reinstatement

Social media accounts of several Pakistani actors, cricketers, and news channels briefly became visible to Indian users on July 2, only to be reblocked the following morning, according to official sources.

The affected accounts included Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) profiles of public figures like Hania Aamir, Saba Qamar, Mawra Hocane, Fawad Khan, Ahad Raza Mir, Shahid Afridi, Mahira Khan, and Danish Taimoor, along with YouTube channels of Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo.

Government officials attributed the reinstatement to a “technical glitch”, and confirmed that a corrective directive was issued to social media platforms, resulting in the accounts being blocked again within hours.

Over 18,000 Pakistani social media accounts, according to reports, were impacted by the ban at various stages.

Originally, these bans were imposed in early May as part of the government’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians and was linked to Pakistan-based terror groups.

A Ministry of Information & Broadcasting advisory on May 8 urged digital platforms to restrict Pakistani content under IT rules addressing national security concerns.

The temporary reinstatement triggered widespread criticism on social media, with hashtags like #BanPakContent trending on X.

The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) demanded an immediate, permanent ban on Pakistani accounts, calling the glitch-upcall “an insult to the families of martyrs."

Despite the controversy, the Ministry has not issued a formal statement on the incident. The reinstatement highlighted both the modular nature of digital censorship and the tense, emotionally charged backdrop of India–Pakistan relations.